28 keymilwaukee.com
Six counties make up the Milwaukee region:
Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington,
Racine, and Kenosha. Each sports at least one
municipal 18-hole championship golf course.
How do these counties
rate in terms of quality?
With four, Milwaukee County has the most
18-hole championship munis. Brown Deer
(6,800 yards from the tips; 133 slope), opened
in 1929, is the best known because for years
it was a regular stop on the PGA Tour. It's also
the toughest of the courses and is in the best
condition with nicely manicured bent-grass
tees, fairways, and greens.
The longest Milwaukee County muni is
Oakwood (7,100 yards, 125 slope) followed
closely by Dretzka (6,800 yards, 126 slope).
Both are excellent tests. Whitnall (6,500 yards,
119 slope), opened in 1932 as a mini-Brown
Deer. All are excellent layouts, but Brown
Deer surpasses the others in toughness and
conditions.
milwaukeecountygolfcourses.com
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(6,800 yards, 126 slope), designed by Lawrence
Packard, is hilly and tree-lined with the largest
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about 10,000 sq. ft.). Wanaki (6,600 yards, 127
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with more water.
golfwaukeshacounty.com
In Hawthorne Hills (6,700 yards, 119 slope)
and Mee-Kwon (6,500 yards, 122 slope),
Ozaukee County has two superb munis.
The layouts are excellent; conditions are
tremendous, particularly the greens, which
are large (average 6,000 sq. ft. at Hawthorne
Hills), run true, and are relatively quick.
ozaukeecountygolf.com
While Washington County has only one
muni, it is the overall best in the region. In fact,
GolfWeek magazine ranks Washington County
Golf Course (7,000 yards, 134 slope) the 33rd
best muni in the country. It's also ranked
#
1 in
the state. The links-style course, designed by
noted golf architect Arthur Hills, sits high above
the Kettle Moraine with beautiful vistas. Wind is
always a factor.
golfwcgc.com
Johnson Park (6,700 yards, 124 slope), owned
by the City of Racine in Racine County, has
everything you want in a muni: great layout,
nice conditions, trees, elevation changes, length.
It's all here. In my humble opinion, it ranks right
up there with Brown Deer.
racinegolfonline.com
Probably the most fun and interesting
muni to play in the region is the 1936-vintage
Petrifying Springs (6,000 yards, 119 slope) in
Kenosha County. Even though it's relatively
short, it still provides a great test, featuring lots
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petrifyingspringsgolf.com Brighton Dale Links
(White Birch: 7,000 yards; 132 slope/Blue
Spruce: 6,700 yards, 130 slope) in western
Kenosha County is a well-maintained and
demanding 45-hole layout (two 18s and
one 9).
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municipal golf courses
Southeastern Wisconsin's
Nagawaukee
Brown Deer
prove government does something right